Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is it illegal to make a US Itunes account?
- Thread starter Arfus
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't know but 1. it will probably not be found out 2. it would only be a small, civil offence so minimal incentive to prosecute 3. international prosecutions are impractical 4. you probably can't do it anyway because you need an American card registered to an American address neither of which, I'm presumptuously presuming, you have :0
Well on this, no. You'd be illegally downloading a movie that has he doesn't have the legal license to download (since he's getting the account via fraud), so it's technically much more serious than since a small civil offense. Saying that, Apple, if they found out, would probably just close the account and revoke the license rights on whatever was downloaded.
And if you're going to break the law, why pay for the movies? There are much cheaper alternatives
(not that I'm condoning anything)Well on this, no. You'd be illegally downloading a movie that has he doesn't have the legal license to download (since he's getting the account via fraud), so it's technically much more serious than since a small civil offense. Saying that, Apple, if they found out, would probably just close the account and revoke the license rights on whatever was downloaded.
And if you're going to break the law, why pay for the movies? There are much cheaper alternatives
Allright i thought it was legal since i used my personal mailbox in the US And paying with legaly purchased US Giftcards. Is this seriously not legal? Cause that mailbox is a mailbox i own. and the giftcards i actually pay 18$ for the 15 dollar gift card cause i gotta pay for shipping etc
If the US account requires a US address, which you have, and doesn't demand e.g. permanent residence, I don't see how it can be illegal.
Just read the T&Cs. If it doesn't exclude your case, then you're legally fine, unless Norway has some laws about importing movies.
If you can legally import the DVD I can't imagine how importing the electronic data could be seen as different. But I'm not a lawyer.
It does get silly when for example I want to give a record label money to download their music, but they won't let me because I live in the UK and the album is only available in the USA.
Personally I'd just get on and do it; you're certainly acting in good faith and paying what is demanded of you. If one day Apple say "hey you're not allowed to do that" then you can say "ok, sorry" and stop. They're not going to try to extradite you the the USA to charge you under USA law.
Question for any lawyers here: Is acting "against terms and conditions" actually the same as acting "illegally"? i.e. if you enter an agreement with a company to do or not do certain things, is it then a criminal/civil offence to not do or do those things? Or is it just grounds for the company to terminate that agreement and potentially sue for damages?
Just read the T&Cs. If it doesn't exclude your case, then you're legally fine, unless Norway has some laws about importing movies.
If you can legally import the DVD I can't imagine how importing the electronic data could be seen as different. But I'm not a lawyer.
It does get silly when for example I want to give a record label money to download their music, but they won't let me because I live in the UK and the album is only available in the USA.
Personally I'd just get on and do it; you're certainly acting in good faith and paying what is demanded of you. If one day Apple say "hey you're not allowed to do that" then you can say "ok, sorry" and stop. They're not going to try to extradite you the the USA to charge you under USA law.
Question for any lawyers here: Is acting "against terms and conditions" actually the same as acting "illegally"? i.e. if you enter an agreement with a company to do or not do certain things, is it then a criminal/civil offence to not do or do those things? Or is it just grounds for the company to terminate that agreement and potentially sue for damages?
Acting against terms and conditions is not in itself illegal.
The act may be illegal if it requires someones permission and you don't have it. Example: When you buy MacOS X on a DVD the terms and conditions say you can't install it on a Dell computer. If you do install it, it is illegal, not because the terms and conditions said so, but because you always need permission to make copies of software and you don't have it. If the terms and conditions said that after installing the software you must never delete it, and you were to delete it, that would not be illegal because you don't need anyone's permission to delete the software.
And the terms and conditions might say that any license you have is cancelled if you don't follow the terms and conditions. Similar example: You buy MacOS X with the family license on a DVD. Then you install it on a Mac and on a Dell computer in your household. As said above, installing on the Dell computer is illegal. But if you read the terms and conditions, by doing so your license is now gone. So suddenly the copy on your Mac is illegal as well.
I totally hate this copyright ********.
I always want to buy the content I enjoy, but I never can due to this copyright agreement thing. Thus I need to resume to other methods to get the content
I always want to buy the content I enjoy, but I never can due to this copyright agreement thing. Thus I need to resume to other methods to get the content
I totally hate this copyright ********.
I always want to buy the content I enjoy, but I never can due to this copyright agreement thing. Thus I need to resume to other methods to get the content
Please explain. How is it that this "copyright agreement thing" stops you from buying the content that you want? What "other methods" are you using? Do they involve music instruments, people playing them, composing the music yourself?
I regularly travel between the US and UK and called into support to ask about this very thing a little over a year ago. I was told that as long as the regional address and payment method are legally mine then you can have as many iTunes regional accounts as you like.
Interpret the advice however you like... but I have had no issues int he year + that I have been doing this.
Interpret the advice however you like... but I have had no issues int he year + that I have been doing this.
While I get my content from legal sources, I also take issue with all the copyright agreements and things like region coding. I enjoy media in both English and Japanese and region coding and region locking services makes that very expensive. As an example, I have a Japanese Wii, if I wanted to buy the US version of mario kart, I would have to buy a US Wii. Same with DVD's. Also some websites prevent me from viewing their online content because of my IP address. Comedy central blocked me based on my region until mid last year.
For the original poster, I have both a US and JP iTunes accounts, it has been a pain in the butt switching back and forth all the time, but it has been worth it as some things arnt available to both countries and also most things end up being cheaper in the US store. I really don't think Apple is going to bother to much pursuing someone who is spending money at their store even if it might violate their agreement with a copyright holder over distribution.
No.
Apple's terms and conditions and other agreements are now laws, so even if you should violate any of their conditions, it wouldn't be "illegal" in the meaning of the word.
Your a very good person...this should be sent to Steve Jobs inbox so he can see that it's not only USA that is interested in
....as for me I will P****E well you know what are the alternatives Your a very good person...this should be sent to Steve Jobs inbox so he can see that it's not only USA that is interested in
So true! I`v heard and heard of some many people saying "If i had a good service letting me purcahse and rent movies online i wouldent illegally download it." Theres no any good Rent/purcahse digital movies and tv series in Norway and not in many countrys of Europe
I just sent them a email and this is the response "I need to let you know that it is indeed in violation of certain copyright laws to access content in unauthorized territories. It is also against the iTunes Store's terms of sale and service to falsify any information on your iTunes Store account."
The guy is saying its illegal to falsify information. Dose these guys read the whole email? cause i spesificly said i used "My mailbox adress in the US" Seriously has this email ben read?
The guy is saying its illegal to falsify information. Dose these guys read the whole email? cause i spesificly said i used "My mailbox adress in the US" Seriously has this email ben read?
I think you're being too serious about it. Right now I'm in Iran but I use my US iTunes account. If you get a VPN with an IP address from within US, there's no way Apple or anyone else would know your real location.
Use your US mailbox address for iTunes account and get a VPN. Whenever you want to login to iTunes, make sure to turn on VPN first.
Use your US mailbox address for iTunes account and get a VPN. Whenever you want to login to iTunes, make sure to turn on VPN first.
This is wrong, you ARE able to create iTunes US/ Mac App Store accounts WITHOUT a credit card, just like I have. I fund all my purchases from iTunes giftcards purchased online.
For what it's worth, I have been using the iTunes US store for years now, with total purchases exceeding several hundred and have not faced any problems with Support or my account. I am in Singapore and have not bothered to use US email addresses/VPNs/Proxies or otherwise, to make it look like I am a genuine customer from the US.
With the new Mac App Store, I can even use my iTunes credit to purchase Apps like Keynote! Overall, a very good experience for me.